Toddler Sherin Mathews’ body shows signs of trauma: doctor

Sherin Mathews, of Richardson, Texas, is missing after disappearing Saturday morning. She had been sent outside at 3 a.m. as punishment for not drinking her milk. (Richardson Police Department)

The physician of Sherin Mathews, the Indian American toddler who died mysteriously in October, testified in court saying that she had found several bone fractures on Sherin in March, suggesting abuse.

Dr. Suzanne Dakil’s testified Wednesday, Nov. 29, during the custody hearing regarding the biological daughter of Wesley and Sini Mathews, who was placed in foster care after Sherin disappeared on Oct. 7. The biological child and is now being looked after by family members living in the Houston area.

According to an ABC News report, Dakil said that she had suspected abuse after looking at Sherin’s bone fractures and reported her concerns to Child Protective Services.

News India Times reported earlier that Sherin was left at home alone on the night of Oct. 6 when her parents and their biological child had gone out to eat. Authorities found the girl’s body in a drainage culvert about a mile away from the Mathews’ home, two weeks after she was reported missing. At that time, Wesley Mathews maintained that he had “physically assisted” Sherin to drink the milk and that she choked and died and he moved her body.

Wesley told Richardson police that Sherin was being punished for not drinking her milk and was alive when they returned home, 90 minutes later.

The next day, Wesley called police and reported Sherin missing saying that she had just disappeared overnight, with her location unknown, after he had ordered her to stand outside for not drinking her milk, at 3 a.m.

Wesley was immediately taken into custody on a felony charge of injury to a child and Sini was taken into custody shortly after for child endangerment.

Wesley remains in jail while Sini’s bond was reduced recently to $100,000 from $250,000 in a hearing in Dallas County Criminal District Court on Monday, Nov. 27. She was also put under house arrest and has to wear an ankle monitor.

ABC News reported that both husband and wife pleaded their Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination and refused to answer any questions in Wednesday’s hearing.